Refueling System Nears End Of Flight Test Schedule

With clouds of uncertainty looming over its KC-X win earlier this year, Northrop Grumman reiterated Tuesday the company continues to progress with its development schedule for the first KC-45A it expects to deliver to the US Air Force. Northrop says the advanced fly-by-wire aerial refueling boom destined for that aircraft completed its 100th test flight in June.

Over the course of its extensive test and validation program, the Advanced Refueling Boom System (ARBS) developed by EADS accumulated over 300 flight hours, including over 60 separate "wet and dry" contacts with an F-16 receiver aircraft. The boom also successfully completed flight envelope expansion testing, validating its fly-by-wire control laws.

EADS testers also executed proximity, pre-contact and contact flight trials with five different aircraft -- the F-16, F-1, F/A-18, C101 and the A330-based Royal Australian Air Force Multi-role Tanker Transport, which shares significant commonality with the KC-45A.

"The completion of these key milestones clearly demonstrates the capability of our boom and provides tangible evidence that the KC-45 is ready now to meet the US Air Force's refueling needs," said Paul Meyer, Northrop Grumman vice president and general manager of Air Mobility Systems. "Unlike our competitor's offering that has yet to leave the drawing board, we have a mature, state-of-the-art boom that has logged over 100 flights, passed fuel in the air, completed over 60 individual contacts and been validated with multiple aircraft operating with US and allied air forces."

As ANN reported, the Northrop/EADS win in February of the KC-X tanker contract is in limbo, after the Government Accountability Office ruled two weeks ago that a protest filed by rival Boeing, stating the US Air Force improperly calculated the true operating costs of both aircraft, had merit. Though it did not recommend one aircraft over the other, the GAO's findings indicate Boeing's KC-767 is the more efficient plane, contrary to the Air Force's original contention the larger KC-45A held that advantage.

The GAO ruling isn't legally binding... but sheer economics, combined with significant public pressure, could force the USAF to send the contract out for rebid. Meyer said if that happens, the ones hurt the most are USAF airmen now flying an aging fleet of Eisenhower-era KC-135s.

"The Air Force needs tankers now and had a choice between a yet to be built tanker concept and boom system against a flight-proven KC-45 to meet the critical, time-urgent refueling needs of the warfighter. The Air Force selected the KC-45, the only system that can fully meet these requirements today," he said.

The ARBS already is integrated on the first Royal Australian Air Force A330 Multi-role Tanker Transport (MRTT), which is scheduled for delivery by EADS in 2009, and will soon enter the second phase of its flight testing and validation. The US Air Force's selection of Northrop Grumman's KC-45 was the fifth straight win for the A330-based tanker, having been selected by the air forces of Australia, United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates.

FMI: www.northropgrumman.com